The Day That Should've Dawned
by unstoppableheart
Summary: Jeff shouldn't have died. I totally despised both Jeff and Layla when their characters were first introduced, but when the writers put them together, unexpected magic happened. I went from hating them to the two of them being my absolute favorite Nashville characters and storyline. So, this story is a take on what could've happened if Juliette hadn't stumbled onto that roof.
1. Chapter 1

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," Jeff murmured against her hair, his voice thick with sleep.

"It's so early," Layla protested, her eyes refusing to open and her head not budging from its place on his bare chest, "and we didn't get much sleep."

"I'm supposed to be meeting with Luke and Gabriella for brunch," he told her, playing with a lock of her dark brown hair.

"It can't be much past seven. Let's sleep in, Mr. CEO," she suggested, eyes still closed as she pulled the sheet over her bare shoulder.

"It's after eight. I really have to get moving," he replied, scooting out from beneath her. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back, suddenly much more awake.

"Not so fast," she said, lifting her lips for a kiss.

"Really? I thought after so much celebrating last night, you'd be too tired this morning..."

"I'm wide awake." She wrapped her arms around his neck and his lips found hers. "I'm never too tired for this," she whispered as she laid back and he trailed kisses along her jaw and down her neck.

LATER THAT DAY

"I have a surprise for you," he told her, beaming at her as they walked to his car from the airport.

"Who are you and what have you done with Jeff Fordham?" she laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying, I already know you're not that awful person everyone in Nashville thinks that you are, but the past couple of days you've just been...wonderful. Too wonderful. You've taken away any doubt that I wasn't a priority."

"Of course, you're my number one priority, Layla. I've told you that over and over."

"But the difference is, now I believe you," she smiled and touched his face as he held the car door open for her. He kissed her softly.

"Good. Now let me take you home," he said.

"I'm not that excited about packing, but I can't wait to move in with you," she said as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"Any ideas about a new manager?" he asked, changing the subject as he drove.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to call Glenn. I told you about talking to him at the Bluebird."

"Good. He's a smart businessman and he has great connections. He's well respected in Nashville," Jeff said nodding.

"Where are we going?" Layla asked as they passed her exit.

"Home."

"Jeff, are we headed to your house?"

"We're headed to our house."

"But I haven't packed a single thing. When are the movers coming? I can't just start staying over without actual stuff."

"Don't worry about it. I've taken care of it."

"Taken care of what?"

"The packing. The moving. It's already been done."

"What? Jeff! When?! When you said you'd already called the movers, I thought you'd probably set something up for next week...or you were teasing me."

"Nope. Why do you think I wanted you to come to Atlanta? I'd already planned the whole thing," he said, taking her hand as he drove.

"You really are the best, you know that right?"

He kissed her hand. "You bring out my best."

A few minutes later, he pulled his car through the gate. Layla stared at the brick mansion. Everything felt so surreal. This is where she was going to be living.

"Most of your furniture is in storage in the garage and most of everything else, except your clothes, is in one of the guest rooms boxed up and waiting for you to go through and unpack. I told them to hang your clothes in my closet and gave them instructions to label everything really well. Let me know if anything is missing or confusing," he told her as they walked upstairs.

"I'm sure it's fine," she said, following him with her bag. She'd stayed there many times before, but it still felt strange to her- this big house for just one person. Well, two now. But still, her tiny house that had more occupants than anyone cared to remember hardly compared to this place. She hadn't even been in every room.

He dropped their bags in the master bedroom and took her hands. "I told you I had a surprise."

"I thought this was the surprise," she said, glancing around.

He shook his head. "Follow me," he smiled, pulling her along as he walked back out of the big bedroom and down the upstairs hall. Around the corner, he stopped in front of a door with a big blue bow on it.

"What is this? Are we going to have separate rooms?" she asked, confused.

"No, of course not. I want you by my side every night, but this room is completely yours. It's my gift to you."

Her lips curled into a half smile and she narrowed her eyes at him as he gestured for her to open the door. She turned the knob and as she stepped inside, her jaw dropped.

"Jeff..." She didn't even have words.

"I'm guessing you like it?"

"Like it? Are you kidding me?" Her fingers ran lightly over one of the many guitars lining an entire wall. From the variety of electric and acoustics, the recording system, sound absorbers, comfy sofa and chair, and the desk in the corner, he'd thought of everything. "I've never had a real music room," she added, stopping at her favorite guitar and plucking it's strings in a little melody.

"I want you to feel at home. This is your space to work, write, get away from me, have some space- whatever."

"Why would I ever want to get away from you?" She stepped toward him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest.

"I ask myself the same thing about you," he said, his chin settled on top of her head.

Layla closed her eyes and breathed him in, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"It's crazy how in just a day's time, we've went from being constantly separated because of Juliette's tour, to no longer having to deal with her schedule and nasty attitude and getting to be with each other practically every single night." She sighed contentedly. It seemed to good to be true.

"Yep. She's no longer my problem and Luke's company will require some travel, but for the most part, I'll be here in Nashville. With you."

"Until I go out on tour," she mused.

"That hasn't even been scheduled yet. And we'll make it work," he assured her.

"I don't want to think about that right now. I'd rather start make something that isn't music in this room," she said, her hands finding and undoing his belt. He kicked the door shut behind them and picked her up, pressing her against the wall as his mouth found hers. She wrapped her legs around him, as his hand inched up her shirt.

It never got old with Jeff. Every time, she couldn't get enough- his kisses, his touch, the way he made her tremble, made her breath catch, even the way he sharply inhaled as she shimmied out of her clothes like it was the first time he'd ever seen her naked. His fingertips on her bare skin still lit her on fire, and when they moved from the wall to the couch, clothes landing haphazardly on guitars and furniture, he pulled her onto his lap and ran his warm hands down her back as a low moan escaped her lips and like so often when they made love lately, she couldn't imagine anything or anyone being able to make her feel the way he did. Moments later, when she lay sprawled across him, sweaty, spent and her heart practically beating out of her chest, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her shoulder. She smiled- he wouldn't pull away. He never pulled away from her after sex anymore. Not like in those first few months.

"Why did you always pull away from me?" she asked, practically drunk with happiness and still out of breath.

"What are you talking about?" he murmured.

"When we were first seeing each other."

"The first night we were together I held you practically all night. I woke up with you still in my arms."

"I know, but after that. All those times..."

"The truth?"

"Yes, I'd like to know."

"Because I knew I was falling for you and I hoped that I could put some distance between us. I didn't want to fall for anyone."

"But you fell for me."

"Yes, Layla. I fell for you. I mean, I asked you to move in with me- I hope that says something. I haven't lived with anyone since...well, since Jade and that was over ten years ago."

Layla bit her tongue, determined not to be too pushy or a clingy girlfriend. Or a jealous one that wanted to ask him if he loved her more than he'd loved Jade. She wanted him to say those three words he'd yet to actually come out and say so bad. She wanted to say them back to him, too. No way was she going to say it first though. She knew he loved her, he made it clear in so many ways, and she loved him, more than anyone ever, but still. Her heart wanted to burst. She wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but she did her best to play it cool- determined not to rush things or push them toward anything that wasn't what they both wanted. She wanted him to take the lead on this. It would mean so much more that way when he did say it.


	2. Chapter 2

_5 Weeks Later_

"Layla!" Jeff shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm coming!" Her voice carried down the steps.

He checked his watch and rolled his eyes."You're going to be late to your own album launch!"

She appeared at the top of the staircase looking far too beautiful in a short, black leather dress and the Lucchese boots he'd given her in honor of her Opry debut. "I told you I was coming," she said with a smile as she hurried down the stairs while still putting in a pair of earrings.

"You look amazing, now let's go," he said, giving her a quick kiss before putting his hand on the small of her back to guide her toward the garage. She rolled her eyes at him and grabbed her clutch she'd left on the counter.

"I'm so excited!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat as he pulled out of the neighborhood.

"I couldn't tell," he joked. "Your manager is going to have his hands full with you tonight."

"Hey, don't be jealous of Glenn," she replied, sliding her hand into his.

"You don't miss me being your manager?"

"Just a little. But I like us just being us much more. Don't you?"

"Of course, babe. What songs did you settle on for tonight?"

"I'm doing 'Mess Worth Making,' 'Makes No Sense At All,' and 'Can't Stop A Heart.' Rayna is backing me up on the chorus of 'Can't Stop A Heart.'" She hummed a bit of the song.

"Good choices. The audience will be somewhat familiar with two of them and having Rayna back you up on the other one is perfect."

"What are you not saying, Jeff?" She was so quick to read him. He'd never been around someone so intuitive to his every mood, every feeling.

"Nothing. It's just...I know those songs are about me, and well, let's admit it- they don't paint me in the best of lights," he explained.

"Love, if that's what you want to call this, is messy. You've given me plenty to write about this past year. Just be thankful you aren't Will," she replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Maybe you should write a song about how you two get along now," he suggested.

"I'm better at writing the dark and twisty songs, Jeff. Trust me, I've tried to write the fluff. It doesn't happen. Besides, do you really want it getting out to all of Nashville that you do, in fact, have a huge heart? That you leave little notes on my pillow? And sometimes send me flowers just because?"

"I guess I do have a ruthless image to uphold," he kidded.

"I'd like to dedicate this next song to the man in my life," Layla said into the microphone. Jeff tightened his grip on his drink as her eyes found his among the crowd. It wasn't like it was the first time he'd been acknowledged by an artist at a launch party, but it was certainly the first time for it to happen when he wasn't the artist's label head or manager. That girl of his, guitar in hand, smile as bright and wide as a kid on Christmas morning, was about to call him out for simply being himself, Jeff Fordham. Not Jeff Fordham the manager, or the label exec who signed the checks. Just him.

"Jeff, I wouldn't be here without you tonight. You're my sunshine, babe," she finished, and to his surprise, began to strum the chords to "You are My Sunshine" - the bluesy, country version Chris Stapleton's wife did so well. He shook his head, remembering how they'd heard the Stapletons do their version at the Bluebird several months ago and they'd both been blown away by it.

" _You'll never know dear,_

 _How much I love you._

 _Please don't take my sunshine away."_

I love you- she'd sung the words often enough, but she'd never actually said it to him. As he watched her sing her heart out, his own swelled with admiration. How'd he get so lucky? She was so beautiful, tender, and full of love despite her heart being broken over and over, a couple of times by his own doing, to his utter shame. He loved her so much. Surely she knew that. He hadn't said the actual words to her, but neither had she and he knew she loved him. Was she waiting for him to say it? Why hadn't he just said it already?

Later that night, as they lay in bed, Jeff pulled Layla close. She stirred as he wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his chin on her bare shoulder, but her steady breathing didn't change. As she slept, he held her and thought about how she inspired him. She even made him want to try his hand at writing songs again, and that was something he'd sworn off fifteen years ago.

"I'm so in love with you," he whispered against her silky hair, his eyes closed as he breathed in the scent of her apple shampoo, wishing he could actually say those words to her when she wasn't asleep. As sleep tugged at his eyes, he resolved to get past whatever stopped him and just tell her already.

"Jeff?" Layla's voice came from the intercom in his office a week later.

"Yeah?" He called out, not looking up from the computer in front of him. With several Wheels Up products about to be launched onto the test market, he was swamped with work.

"Jean has dinner ready for us. Can you take a break to eat with me?"

He closed his eyes, knowing he should say no, that he had to get some work done.

"Sure, give me five minutes and I'll be out there."

"Okay, babe. Thanks."

He wrapped up what he was doing and shut the laptop before heading to the kitchen. Layla insisted they eat in the kitchen and not in the dining room. "Too stuffy" she'd said. She sat at the small table, barefoot in jeans with one foot tucked beneath her, as his housekeeper, Jean finished plating their food.

"How was your day?" she asked. He'd been home a couple of hours, but had headed straight to his office when he'd came in.

"Busy. We're right in the thick of things. I'm sorry I haven't been around much," he said as Jean sat their plates on the table.

"It's okay. I miss you, though."

"I miss you, too."

"It's weird, isn't it? We live together and we sleep together every night, but we miss each other," Layla said as she picked up her fork.

"I guess that's a good thing?" he ventured.

"Jeff, I have something to tell you," she blurted out. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach at her words and fidgety movements.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, necessarily. I had a meeting with my team today. My album is number four and seems to keep climbing on the country charts."

"That's great."

"I know, but Rayna and Glenn and Bucky think I need to go out and capitalize on the success by opening for Markus Keen."

"I thought he decided against doing the country album and he and his band made up?"

"Well, yeah, but as part of his buy out agreement, Rayna arranged for a Hwy 65 artist to open for Boulevard."

"And they want you to be that artist. Smart move on their part- you'll get tons of exposure. When does the tour start?"

Layla bit her lip. "I fly out the day after tomorrow. The tour had already been in the works."

"For how long?" Jeff asked, trying not to show his shell-shock.

"This isn't easy for me to say. Over the next five weeks, their American tour has 32 dates, but I'll be home for a couple of days at Christmas."

"That's not too bad."

"The European tour starts a week after the US tour finishes and I'll be gone for a solid two months with that."

"So altogether, you're going to be gone through March?"

She nodded solemnly. Her eyes glistened, tears pooling.

"Hey, don't look so glum. This is a great opportunity for you," he assured, swallowing his objections. She didn't need that right now. He wasn't going to be the boyfriend that held their star of a girlfriend back. He'd dealt with far too many of those over the years.

"But what about us? We're finally in a really good place and now we're going to spend the next few months apart!" She blinked and a tear fell onto her cheek.

"Layla, we're in a great place. You make me happier than I've been in longer than I can remember, but you're an artist that has to go on tour and I'm a CEO that has to focus on building a brand. I support you and you support me- if we have to do so with distance between us, it is what it is and it won't always be that way, you know?"

"That doesn't mean it doesn't suck. I'm going to miss you like crazy!" She hopped up, leaving an untouched plate, and reached out for him. He stood, thinking she wanted a hug, but she took his hand and led him from the kitchen.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"If I'm leaving in two days, I don't want to waste what time I have with you sitting at the table," she said as she pulled him upstairs.

"I'll plan something special for tomorrow night, okay?" Jeff offered as they reached their bedroom door.

She nodded as she turned to face him, kissing his cheek, his jaw, his neck, as she started unbuttoning his shirt. He shut the door behind him and picked her up with her legs locked around his waist. Thoughts of work and tours and brands and rock stars no longer clouded his mind as Layla's shirt hit the floor and her lacy black bra flew across the room before he'd even reached the bed with her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Per your specific request, I have planned a night of doing absolutely nothing," Jeff told her the next evening, stepping into her music room as he unbuttoned his collar. Layla looked up from her guitar and gave him a smile, willing all desire to cry down to the very bottom of her soul. Tears could flow on the plane tomorrow. She wasn't going to ruin their last night together before she left to go on tour.

"Perfect," she said as she sat her guitar on the stand and hurried over to give him a kiss.

"Have you finished packing?" he asked.

"Mostly, but I don't want to talk about any of that. No mention of me leaving tomorrow is to be uttered tonight, okay?"

He searched her face, saw the barely held together smile. He nodded. "Got it. We're just...hanging out. That's all."

"Glad we're on the same page," she smiled and playfully pushed his shoulder.

"Are you hungry? Jean's off for the evening, but I've already taken care of dinner," he told her.

"I guess I could eat," she said, following him out of the room.

"I'm going to change out of these clothes really quick," he said, turning to head towards their bedroom at the end of the hall.

She continued following him into the bedroom. She bit her lip to keep silent as he shrugged his shirt off. As he tossed the shirt in the laundry and headed into the closet, his voice carried across the room.

"Layla, the food's going to get cold. I'm not saying I don't want to-"

"This won't take long," she interrupted him, closing the distance between them as he stepped back into the room holding a shirt and jeans, giving him no say in what the next order of the evening was going to be as she pushed him onto the bed.

"I won't be back until Christmas Eve. That's sixteen days from now. We've got to get in as much as we can in the next twelve hours," she explained as she tried to catch her breath five minutes later.

Jeff patted her leg as he laid beside her. "I'm thinking we should maybe go for quality over quantity, but that's just a suggestion," he reasoned.

Layla turned on her side and propped her head up on her arm. "Let's meet somewhere in the middle," she countered with a wink.

"Deal." He sat up, kissed her cheek and starting getting dressed. "Dinner really is getting cold," he explained.

Layla followed his example and tossed on her top and leggings. Geez, but he was insistent about going downstairs to eat dinner.. When they reached the kitchen, Layla scanned the extensive expanse of counter tops, but didn't see any plates or containers. Jeff kept walking.

"Where's dinner?" she asked. He stopped and turned around to face her.

"Follow me," he said with a playful smirk.

She gave him a confused look, but followed him through the kitchen, the sunroom and out onto the back patio. A lovely table sat in the center of the space, covered in linen and holding silver plated dinnerware. A couple of outdoor heaters were fired up, keeping the chill of twilight from seeping beneath the patio softly lit by outdoor lanterns and candles.

"Now do you see why I was in a hurry to get down here? I didn't want to start a fire," he joked.

"Jeff," she said walking over and trailing her hand across the back of a linen draped chair, "this is...wow."

"It's just dinner. No big deal," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh yeah, just dinner. By candle and lantern light. Outdoors. With a table set to perfection," she mimicked his nonchalant tone.

"You told me not to plan anything. So it's just dinner."

She sidled up next to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thank you for making me feel special- even when I tell you not to make a big deal. This is perfect, Jeff. Just the two of us having 'just dinner.' You're amazing."

He turned to face her, his arms embracing her. "Layla, I've been meaning to tell you something for a long time now, and I couldn't. I'm not sure why- maybe I was waiting for just the right moment, and it feels like it's here." He paused, holding her gaze for a moment before continuing, "Layla, I love you, and I'm pretty sure I've loved you since the moment I saw you singing in that tent last November."

"I love you, too. So much," she said back immediately with no hesitation, pulling his head down to find his lips with her own. The moment she'd waited for had finally arrived. He'd said it. He loved her. Jeff loved her. She wanted to sing, shout, fly, but mainly kiss him until she couldn't breathe.

"So really? Since our first...I don't know what to classify it as, but for the sake of argument, we'll call it our first date, despite my being married and you being a totally inappropriate romantic option, seeing as you were the head of mine and my husband's label," she laughed as she savored a bite of the chocolate mousse they were eating for dessert, "you had real feelings for me?"

"Well, yeah, but like I said, I would've never admitted it, even to myself. But looking back, I knew something was different. I couldn't shake how I felt about you. I mean, come on, Layla, think about it. Sleeping with you, knowing you were married to my most important artist at the time- that was a huge risk. Even as we drove here that night, I kept telling myself to turn the car around, to take you home, but I just couldn't. I wanted to be with you, and even though I thought it was purely physical at the time, I've had plenty of one night stands over the years. I had no problem keeping my emotions separate and sending them on their way before sunrise. Until you. You just messed me all up," he said, sighing in mock frustration as he took a sip of his beer. Layla cleared her throat.

"For me, it's hard to say. Of course, you know I fell head over heels for you after our first night together, but then...I had a few minutes where I completely despised you. I hated you for rejecting me, for letting Will talk you into dumping me so easily," she explained.

"Hey, in my defense, it wasn't easy. It sucked, but I was already in hot water with Edgehill and my job was in jeopardy. I felt something for you that I hadn't felt for anyone in years, and him telling me to end it with you gave me a reason to shut it down, which I thought was best," Jeff countered.

"Anyway, that's water under the bridge. So back to my telling you when I started loving you- when you came to my house after the Edgehill fiasco, I was determined to keep my heart as separate from the whole situation as I possibly could. I started falling for you again, and I realized I was going to end up getting hurt after that meeting with that blogger 'friend' of yours with her boobs practically falling out and her hands all over you. I was so jealous at the attention you showed her. So later when you said you wanted to 'try' to love me-"

"I never said I wanted to 'try' to love you. I already loved you- I was just scared of what that meant! For me to even bring up the possibility of a serious relationship with you was a big deal. The first time I'd thought about pursuing a real relationship in TEN years, Layla. I know you didn't know that, but still- there I was, putting my heart on the line, thinking that you were on the same page, and then we're lying in bed and BOOM! You tell me you don't want us to continue seeing each other."

"That was an attempt at self-preservation. The message you intended didn't line up with your delivery. I saw it as you were tossing me a bone, like, 'hey, you're here and available. I guess I'll try to have feelings for you outside of the bedroom.' You gave me no implication that your feelings were genuine, so naturally, after everything with Will, my guard was up."

"Enter shoving Jade down our throats and making my life a living nightmare for a couple of months," Jeff said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey! Don't start a fight- we're supposed to be having a romantic evening. Jade served a purpose- you realized how much you cared and you showed it finally, even though you went about it entirely the wrong had that huge fight, and you were so scared you were going to lose me, and I could tell you were serious. I knew I meant something to you, and I could finally let go, knowing that, even though things were rocky and you'd been an idiot, you couldn't shake me anymore than I could shake you. In your own way, you were trying to protect me, misguided as it was. My heart had already fallen hard for you, but the rest of me finally caught up, and I'm so thankful we've now managed to get to a much healthier, happier place."

"I've done a lot of bad things in my life, Layla. Treating you like that is what I most regret, though. I never should have made you sign that contract, or keep you off the internet so you wouldn't find out I leaked that photo. I know I've said it a dozen times, but I'm really sorry I did that to you."

"You apologized, and you destroyed the contract right in front of me. I forgave you months ago. Since we've already had our fair share of junk- I see a happy, wonderful future for us," she reassured him, leaning forward and taking his hand in hers on top of the table.

"Loving you and being with you makes me the best version of myself, Layla Grant. Thank you for being you," Jeff confessed quietly.

"Crazy as it once sounded, you do the same for me. We really are better together than apart, Jeff," she replied, getting up and coming over to sit on his lap. She threw her arms around his shoulders and rested her head against him.

"We sure are, babe." He rubbed her back and kissed her forehead. Layla closed her eyes in a moment of pure contentment. Two years ago, when she first signed with the handsome, but flashy, smooth talking label head at Edgehill, never in a million years would she have imagined that she would finally find the love she'd always hoped for in his arms with her head against his chest listening to the steady beat of his heart as he played with her hair and talked about building a future with her.

 _Will everything stay sunshine and roses in Chapter 4?! I'm going to try and stay true to the high drama nature of Nashville...;)_


End file.
